Royal Oak planning commission to hear petitions during Tuesday meeting

Two demolitions, replacement buildings proposed

Law firm Siporin & Associates wants to add to its building and create an automated parking structure

HR Architecture

Duke & Duke LLC is petitioning rezoning in Royal Oak for a planned four-story, 48-unit residential building on the former Chinn Jewelry site on Washington Avenue.

Plans for a four-story residential building on the former Chinn Jewelry store site, a mechanized parking structure and other developments will be heard Tuesday at the city of Royal Oak's planning commission meeting.

The Oakland County city's landscape is changing — from stores closing and new restaurants filing in to a torn up section of downtown that's being rebuilt as the Royal Oak Civic Center and a $65 million mixed-use complex on more than 4 acres of vacant land at the city's southern border along I-696.

511 Design LLC

Siporin & Associates aims to renovate its building, add a second story and build an automated parking structure at 26026 Woodward Ave. in Royal Oak. It submitted a site plan to the city.

Regardless of who's for and against ramping up development in the city, it looks like there's more coming. Here are the proposed projects Royal Oak's planning commission will hear about Tuesday, according to the agenda and planning documents:

Redeveloping Chinn Jewelry site

Duke & Duke LLC is proposing a rezoning so it can redevelop the former Chinn Jewelry site at 1003 S. Washington Ave., west of Main Street and just south of the main downtown drag. It would demolish the existing building for a four-story, 48-unit residential building, according to city planning division documents. The ground floor would contain a gym or other facility for tenant use, as well as off-street parking. A deviation or waiver will be required to place that many units on the 14,751-square-foot lot.

Automated parking deck

511 Design LLC and law firm and building owner Siporin & Associates Inc. are putting forth a site plan to build a second level and mezzanine on Siporin's one-story office building at 26206 Woodward Ave., as well as an automated four-story parking structure, according to city documents. Users would drive up to it and leave their cars, with the structure itself maneuvering the vehicles and storing them.

The planning commission approved a plan for the site just west of downtown Royal Oak in 2016, but when permits for construction weren't acquired, the green light lapsed.

Demolishing filling station for housing

Another rezoning request comes from Anthony Yezbick, who petitioning to demolish an old gas station for a five-story building with 60 residential units on its upper levels and 11,000 square feet of ground-floor office space, according to city documents. The 17,700-square-foot lot is north of downtown, at 1005 N. Main St. at the intersection with Catalpa Drive. The commission will need to decide if the size fits in with the surroundings — nearby buildings are no more than two stories tall. Dimosthensis Joannidis Trust is the property owner.

Removing motel for auto parts store

AutoZone Development LLC proposes a plan to demolish the closed Saranay Motel for a new AutoZone store at 28202 Woodward Ave., north of Catalpa Drive, city planning documents said. The project proposal has seen delays due to questions on placement of the building and some missing information.

Changing landscape

The Oakland County city's landscape is changing — from stores closing and new restaurants filing in to a torn up section of downtown that's being rebuilt as the Royal Oak Civic Center and a $65 million mixed-use complex on more than 4 acres of vacant land at the city's southern border along I-696.

Arguments for and against the city's move to eliminate hundreds of parking spots for likely more than a year while it builds a 581-space parking deck, new city hall, new police station and public park have been widely reported. Some businesses say it's cluttered downtown, made parking more difficult and hurt sales; the city and other businesses see it as a growing pain that will result in an increased workforce and, ultimately, more parking.

The $50 million city project — alongside Lansing-based developer Boji Group's $70 million Henry Ford Health System building — has been the centerpiece of wider discussions surrounding which enterprises live and die. A lack of growth and walking traffic doomed sportswear retailer Co. 512 just north of main downtown. Andiamo Trattoria closed, in part, it said, because of a lack of convenient nearby parking while lots are closed for civic center construction. But others still see ample opportunity there.